Banding machine



Oct. 31, 1944. c FLOOD I 2,361,470

BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 19,41 6 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 31, 1944. c. A. FLOOD BANDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1941 Oct. 31, 1944. c. A. FLOOD BANDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9, 1941 rave? Oct.31, 1944. A FL 2,361,470

BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 31, 1944. c, A FLOOD 2,361,470

BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Oct. 31, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT DFFI Dennison Manufacturing Company,

ham, Mass.,

Framinga corporation of Massachusetts Application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,791

31 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for banding frankfurters and other articles and more particularly to an automatic machine which performs one complete cycle of operations each time it is started.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a machine which will automatically accommcdate articles of different sizes, which will not injure articles that are easily broken, which does not waste banding material, which is rapid and efficient in operation and which is generally superior to banding machines heretofore available.

In one aspect of this invention the band ng machine is provided with a guide having a curved portion surrounding an opening or eye for the article to be banded, means for advancing a ribbon of banding material endwise along the guide until it surrounds the opening, means for then holding the end of the ribbon, means for retracting the ribbon to draw it snugly around the article while the end is held as aforesaid, and means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band together. Preferably the end of the ribbon is held by pinching it between the article and said guide, and-means are provided to hold the article in spaced relation to the guide while the ribbon is being advanced. The holding means preferably comprises springpressed clamps at one or both ends of the aforesaid eye, the clamps being relatively movable to grip the article therebetween and also movable together to shift the article against one side of the eye, thereby to pinch the end of the ribbon.

The aforesaid guide is preferably provided with sides to form a channel for the ribbon. By 10- eating the clamps in close juxtaposition to the ends of the aforesaid eye they may serve as said sides. However the sides are preferably fast to the eye, in which case they are interrupted to permit the article to pinch the end of the ribbon against the bottom of the channel-shaped guide. In another aspect the invention comprises one roller for advancing the ribbon and another roller for retracting the ribbon, together with means for pressing the ribbon against either roller. Thus the ribbon may be pressed against the, advancing roller long enough to advance the ribbon the predetermined distance and then pressed against the retracting roller to draw the ribbon snugly around the article. By locating a friction device between the two rollers a single device serves to produce a braking action on the ribbon in either direction of movement of the ribbon.

In still another aspect the invention involves unique means for severing the ribbon and sealing together the overlapping ends of the band. This means comprises a spring-pressed plunger for holding the overlapping ends during the severing and sealing operations, the plunger andcutter and sealing device being mounted on a movable head in such manner that in the advance move ment of the head the plunger first engages the band, further movement of the head further compressing its spring, the cutter then severs the ribbon and finally the heated sealing device momentarily presses the overlapping ends of the band to soften the adhesive on one of the interengaging faces of the band.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a banded frankfurter;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the banded frankfurter;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the banding machine with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5is a right-hand side elevation with the right-hand cover removed, showing the parts in idle positon between cycles;

Fig. 6 is a right-hand side elevation-of the gear.

train;

Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive are sections on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 5;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the guide for the label material;

Fig. 13 is a right-hand side elevation of the means for feeding a ribbon of label material, showing the parts in the positions which they occup when the ribbon is being fed forwardly;

Fig. 14 is a right-hand side view of the mechanism for clamping the article while it is being banded, the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy after the ribbon of label materia1 has been fully advanced;

Fig. 15 is a similar view showing parts in section and showing the parts in the positions which they occupy while the ribbon of label material is being retracted;

Fig. 16 is a similar view showing the parts in the positions which they occupy after the ribbon of label material has been drawn snugly around the frankfurter and is about to be out off and sealed;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing the parts in the positions which they occupy after the bandng operation has been completed but before the article has been released; and

Fig. 18 is a section on line l8-l8 of Fig, 17 with parts omitted.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a base I, a main frame or casing 2 secured to the base by means of screws 3 and left-hand and right-hand covers 4 and 6, the former cover enclosing a motor, reduction gearing and clutch of standard construction and therefore not shown. The frame 2 has a left-hand side wall I provided with a flange 8 projecting to the right from the point 9 to the point 9' (Fig. and the frame is spaced from the base throughout most of the length of the base as indicated at II in Figs. 3 and 5. Mounted on the under side of the top portion of the flange 8 is an auxiliary frame 12 which is secured by screws extending through openings in the top portion of flange 8 and thence threading into the openings i3 in the auxiliary frame (Fig. 4). The auxiliary frame i2 is provided with a circular opening or eye 14 to receive the article to be banded (Figs. 3 and 13) and at each end of the circular opening the subframe is provided with a narrow flange l5 to provide a guideway for the ribbon B of banding material, the distance between the two flanges being somewhat greater than the width of the ribbon. As shown in Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, 1'1 and 18 the flanges l5 do not extend all the way around the opening [4, being omitted at the right-hand lower "side so that the article to be banded may be pressed against the end of the ribbon of label material as shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17. At the bottom of the opening l4 a slot I6 is provided to receive means for cutting off the ribbon and sealing together the overlapping ends of the band.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5 the cover 6 and the wall 1 are provided with openings l1 and i8 in line with the opening l4 in the auxiliary frame i2 to accommodate the projecting ends of the frankfurter, the cover 6 and wall 1 being offset inwardly around the openings l1 and I8. The wall i has an extension In provided with a projecting flange 20 over which is mounted the cover plate 2| by means of four screws at 19 (Fi 5), the flange 20 forming a continuation of the flange 8 but being somewhat narrower. The cover plate 2i has a depending portion 2 I covering a portion of the main casing 2 (Fig. 5). The plate also has flanges I21 and I22 which meet edge to edge w th the flangeon cover 6; the flanges l2! and I22 being separated by a space for the ribbon B to feed into the casing from the roll R. The extension ID has an inwardly projecting boss 22, a ainst which the main portion of an axle 23 abuts, the axle being held in place by a nut 24 threa ed on the reduced end of the axle which projects through the boss 22. Rotatably mounted on the axle 23 is a drum 25 having a projecting hub to receive the core of the roll R of the banding mater al, the core fltting tightly over the hub so that the roll and drum are constrained to rotate together on the axle 23. The cover plate 2! is provided with three L-shaped arms 26 (Fig. 3) the outer ends 21 of which project around the periphery of the roll R. A casting 28 having three arms corresponding to the arms 23 telescopes over the end of the axle 23 and is held in position by means of a set screw 23. Fast to the three arms of the cast ng 28 are extensions 38 which extend out to and fit into recesses in the ends 21 of the L-shaped arms 26. To place a roll of label material in the device it is necessary merely to loosen the set screw 29 and remove the casting 28 to ether with the extensions 30 fast thereto.

In passing from the roll R the ribbon B of label material passes under a roller 3!, thence over a roll 32 and thence throu h a guide 33 to the circular channel M in the auxiliary frame 12. As shown in detail in Fig. 12 the ribbon guide 33 has side flanges 34 for attachment to opposite sides of the auxiliary frame 12 by means of screws extending through the openings 35 in the flanges. The holes 35 are so located that the bottom wall of the guide 33 is spaced from the bottom of the subframe [2 far enough to provide a passageway for the label ribbon. At the end of the guide 33 which projects beyond the auxiliary frame l2 the side flanges 34 are folded in as shown at 34. The bottom of the guide is provided with two openings 36 and 31 to receive pressure rollers hereinafter referred to.

The aforesaid roller 3| is rotatably mounted on the end of an arm 38 fast to a hub 39 which is journaled on an axle 48 mounted on the wall 1 (Figs. 5 and 10). The hub 39 has an extension 39' carrying a pivot pin 4|. Threaded through the head 4| of the pivot pin is a hook 42 and pivotally connected to the pin is a link 43. A tension spring 44 has one end connected to the link 43 and the other end connected to a stationary hook 45. A snubbing strap 46 extends around the periphery of the drum 25 with one end connected to hook 42 and the other end fast to the casing at 41. The spring 44 tends to swing the arm 38 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 5) about the pivot 40. thereby tending to cause the strap 46 to produce a snubbing action on the drum 25. Normally the frictional drag on roll R produces enough tension in ribbon B to hold the arm 38 up against the stop 38' but if the roll R tends to overrun the arm 38 swings downwardly to stop the rotation of the roll R. by the aforesaid snubbing action. When the end of the ribbon B is again pulled forward to feed more material to the loop channel l4 the roll 3| is lifted to relieve the snubbing action, thereby permitting the ribbon to feed forwardly.

The mechanism for feeding the label ribbon comprises two rollers 48 and 49 for feeding the ribbon forwardly and backwardly respectively (Figs. 5, 13 and 17), these 'rollers projecting between the inturned flanges 34' (Fig. 12) opposite the openings 35 and 31 in the ribbon guide 33. The rollers 48 and 49 are fast to gears 12 and 13 respectively and they rotate on axles 69 and 10. The rollers are driven continuously during each cycle of operation by means of gear H on the main drive shaft 58 and intermediate gears 14 and 15 interconnecting gear H with gears 12 and 13 (Figs. 6, '7, 9 and 11). Movable into the openings 36 and 31 are two pressure rolls 50 and 5! for pressing the ribbon against one or the other feed roll. The roll 50 is pivotally mounted on an arm 52 fast to a hub 53 which is pivoted on a pin 54 fast to the wall 1 as shown in Fig, 11. Fast to the same hub 53 is another arm 55 on the end of which is pivoted a follower roll 56 riding on a cam 51 fast to the main drive shaft 58, a spring 59 normally holding the roller against the periphery of the cam. The roller 5| is pivoted on an arm 60 which is journaled on the axle 54 independently of the hub 53. A pin BI is pivotally connected to the arm 68 at 52 with one end projecting loosely through an opening in a lug B3 on the arm 55. A spring 64 bears at its opposite ends against the lug 63 and a shoulder on the pin iii to urge the arm 60 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 54, nuts 65 on the end of the pin limiting the action of the spring.

The cam 51 is provided with a low portion 66, a high portion 61 and an intermediate portion 68. When the roller 55 is on the low portion 66 the spring 59 causes the roller 50 to press the label ribbon against the feed roller 48, thereby to feed the ribbon forwardly a shown in Fig. 13. When the high part 61 of the cam reaches the roller 56 the bell-crank arm 5255 is swung counterclockwise to retract the pressure roller 53 and to cause the pressure roller 51 to press the label ribbon against the feed roller 49, thereby to reverse the movement of the ribbon- The pressure of the roller is produced by the spring 64, the lug 63 moving away from the nuts 65 after the roller 4I engages the roller 49 or the label strip therebetween. After the ribbon has been drawn snugly around the frankfurter the feed roll 49 slips on the ribbon, the snugness with which the ribbon is drawn around the frankfurter depending upon the adjustment of spring 64. When the intermediate portion 68 of the cam 57 reaches the roller 56 the parts move into the neutral position shown in Fig. 17 where neither of the pressur rollers 50 and 5| is operative.

The mechanism for clamping the frankfurter while being handed comprises a lower clamp I5 and an upper clamp I6 at each end of the opening It in the auxiliary frame I 2, the lower clamp I5 extending through approximately threequarters of the circumference of the opening and the upper clamp I6 extending through approximately one-quarter of the circumference. The upper clamps I6 are supported by arms 11 pivotally supported on the auxiliary frame I2 by means of a shaft I8. The lower clamps '15 are pivotally supported on the same shaft through the medium of arms I8, the pivotal movement of these arm being limited by pins I9 and 80. The upper arms 11 have shoulders BI and the lower arms I8 have upwardly projecting lugs 82 between which compression springs 83 are mounted on rods 83' in conventional manner to hold the lower arms I9 up against the upper stop pins I9. The arms 11 are fixed on the shaft I8 by pins 80 (Fig. 4) to move in unison and one of the arms I1 has a depending portion 85 which carries a cam follower 86 yieldingly held against the periphery of a cam 81 by spring 88. When the roller 86 is on the raised portion of the cam 81 the upper clamp I6 are retracted as shown in Figs. 5 and 13, and when the follower is on the low portion of the cam 8'! the upper clamps I6 are yieldingly pulled downwardly by the spring 88 against the frankfurter as shown in Figs. 14 to 17 inclusive. When the lower clamps are in their upper position, with the arms I8 bearing against the upper stop pins I9, the frankfurter is held slight y above the bottom of the opening I4 as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. However when the upper clamps I6 are pulled downwardly they force the lower clamps I5 downwardly, through the medium of the frankfurter, to the position shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17 where the end of the label ribbon is pinched between the frankfurter and the bottom of the opening I 4 in subframe I2.

At the beginning of each cycle of operatiors the label ribbon is advanced to the position hown in Fig. 14 where the end of the ribbon is at 90, the irankfurter being held up by the lower clamps out of the way of the advancing ribbon. After the ribbon has been fully advanced the upper clamps I6 cause the frankfurter to pinch tl'e end of the label strip against the bottom of the opening I 5 (Fig. 15) after which the label ribbon is retracted until it is drawn tightly around t e frankfurter. Then the ribbon is cut off and the overlapping ends of the band sealed together by the following mechanism.

Pivotally mounted in the bottom of the ub- 9 frame I2, by means of a pivot pin 9|, is an arm 92 carrying on its outer end a head 93 conta ning a heating unit 94 and a thermostat 95, a springpressed plunger 96 and a cutter 91 cooperating with a shear plate 98 on the bottom of the subframe I2. The arm 92 carriesa cam follower 99 which is held against the periphery of a cam I00 by means of spring I M When the follower .99 bears on the low part of the cam I00 the head 93 is retracted to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 13. and when the follower rides up on the raised portion of the cam the head is advanced to the position shown in Figs. 16 and 17. As the head rises the upper end of the plunger 96 first engages the overlapping portion of the band to press it against the underlying end, further upward movement of the head causing the spring to be further compressed. As the head continues to rise the cutter 9I shears off the ribbon as shown in Fig. 16. Further upward movement of the head brings the nose I02 of the head 93 against the overlapping ends of the band, and inasmuch as this nose is heated by the heater 94 the ends are quickly sealed together by thermoplastic adhesive carried by one of the interengaging faces of the band. As shown in Figs. 13, 16, 17 and 18 the nose I02 is recessed to receive the plunger 96, the nose enclosing the end of the plunger on three sides. Preferably the band is cut oil somewhat beyond the sealing location to leave a projecting end (Fig. 2) to facilitate removal of the band.

'The operation of the device .is improved by retarding the movement of the ibbon B with a friction shoe such as shown at I03 in Figs. 5, 8, 13 and .17, which presses the ribbon against the guide 33 between the rollers 48 and 99. As shown in Fig. 8 the shoe is mounted on an arm I04 pivoted at I05 to a support I06 which is held on the casing I by means of a nut I01, the shoe being urged against the ribbon by means of a spring I08. By locating the friction shoe between the two feed rollers it functions during movement of the ribbon in both directions.

The operation of the device is controlled by a handle I09 (Fig. 3) which is pivotally mounted at H0 and which is interconnected at its lower end to a clutch control rod I I I. By moving the upper end of the rod to the right the lower end is moved to the left thereby tripping the clutch to start one cycle of operations after which the mechanism comes to rest in the position shown in Fig. 5. The handle I09 projects upwardly through an opening II2 into the recess in wall'i past the frankfurter opening I4 so that it may be actuated by the hand in the act of inserting the frankfurter in the opening I4.

At the end of each cycle of operations the follower 56 is at the beginning of the low portion of the cam .51 (Fig. 5). Thus as soon as the clutch is tripped to start another cycle of operations the label ribbon is advanced by feed roller 48 to the position shown in Fig. 14. While the upper clamps 16 may start down before the ribbon has come to rest they should not move beyond the position shown in Fig. 14 before the ribbon has come to rest. After the ribbon has been advanced to the position shown in Fig. 14 the cam follower 56 shifts from the low part 66 to the high part 61 of the cam 51 thereby retracting the pressure roll 50 and causing the pressure roll 5I to press the ribbon against the feed roller 49, thereby to pull the ribbon backwardly and draw it snugly around the frankfurter. The downward movement of the clamps I6 is so timed in relation to the movement of the rolls 50 and 5I that the clamps move from the position shown in after the adbefore the re- Fig. 14 to that shown in Fig. 15, vancing roll 50 leaves the ribon' and tracting roll engages the ribbon, whereby the end of the ribbon is pinched between the frankfurter and guide after the ribbon is fully advanced and before it starts to retract. After the ribbon has been drawn tightly around the frankfurter the cam follower 56 drops to the intermediate portion 68 of the cam 51 thereby moving the pressure rollers 50 and to neutral position where neither one engages the label ribbon. Then the cam i 00 lifts the head 93 to sever the ribbon and seal the overlapping ends as aforesaid.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a ribbon guide having a curved portion surrounding an opening for the article to be banded, means for advancing one end of the ribbon endwise along said guide until it surrounds the opening, means for holding the article in the opening against the ribbon near one end thereof, means for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around-the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and'means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

2. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a ribbon guide having a curved portion surrounding an opening for the article to be handed, means for advancing one end of the ribbon endwise along said guide until it surrounds the opening, movable clamps at opposite ends of the opening for holding the article in the opening against the ribbon near one end thereof, means for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

3. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a ribbon guide having a curved portion surrounding an opening for the article to be handed, means including a feed roller for advancing one end of the ribbon endwise along the guide until it surrounds the opening, means for holding the article in the opening against the ribbon near one end thereof, means including another feed roller for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

4. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a curved ribbon guide substantially surrounding an opening for the artcle to be banded, the guide having a radial passageway, means for advancing said ribbon endwise along the guide until it surrounds the opening and overlaps at said passageway, the guide having sides to limit edgewise movement of the r'bbon, means at said location for holding the ribbon near one end thereof, means for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snu ly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and means acting through said radial passageway for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

5. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which compn'ses a curved ribbon guide substantially surrounding an opening for the article to be handed, the guide having a radial passageway, means for advancing said ribbon endwise along the guide until it surrounds the opening and overlaps at said passageway, the guide having sides to limit edgewise movement of the ribbon, the sides being interrupted at a location immediately in advance of said passageway, means at said location for holding the ribbon near one end thereof, and means for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and means acting through said radial passageway for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

6. A banding machine for wrapping an elonate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, wh'ch comprises a curved ribbon guide substantially surrounding an opening for the article to be banded, said guide having a radial passageway, means for advancing said ribbon endwise along said guide untl it surrounds said opening and overlaps at said passageway, the guide having sides to limit edgewise movement of the ribbon, the sides being interrupted at a location immediately in advance of said passageway, movable clamps at opposite ends of sad opening for yieldingly holding the ribbon near one end thereof between the article and the guide at said location, means for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and means acting through said radial passageway for sever ng the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band,

7. A banding machine for wrapping an elonate article with a band of ribbon and sealingthe overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a curved ribbon guide substantially surrounding an opening for the article to be banded, said guide hav'ng a radial passageway, means includ'ng a feed roller for advancing said ribbon endwise along said guide until it surrounds said opening and operlaps at said passageway. the guide having sides to l'mit edgewise movement of the r bbon, the sides being interrupted at a location immediately in advance of said passageway, means at said location for holding the ribbon near one end thereof, means including another feed roller for retractng the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the r bbon, and means acting through said radial passageway for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

'8. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and seal'ng the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a ribbon guide having a curved portion surrounding an opening for the article to be banded, means including a feed roller for advancing said ribbon endw'se along said guide until it surrounds said opening, means for holding the article in said opening against the ribbon near one end thereof. means including another feed roller for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly endwise along said guide until it surrounds said opening and overlaps at said passageway, means for holding the ribbon near one end thereof,

means including another feed roller for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the art'cle and over the held end of the ribbon, means intermediate said rollers for frictionally braking the movement of the ribbon in either direction and means acting through said radial passageway for severing the ribbon and seal ng the overlapping ends of the band.

10. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate artcle with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a ribbon guide having an eye to receive the elongate article endwise, means for advancing said ribbon endwise along said guide until it surrounds the article, means for holding the ribbon near one end thereof, means for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, and adjacent said eye a starting trip engageable by the hand in the act of inserting the article in said eye.

11. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate art cle with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a ribbon guide having an eye to receive the elongate article endwise, means for advancing said ribbon endwise along said guide until it surrounds the article, means for holding the article in spaced relation to the periphery of the eye while the ribbon is being advanced and then pinching the ribbon near one end thereof against said periphery, means for retracting the ribbon wh le the end is pinched as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the pinched end of the ribbon, and means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

12. A banding machine for wrapping an elon gate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a r bbon guide having an eye to receive the elongate article endwise, means for advancing said ribbon endwise along said guide until it surrounds the article, movable clamps at opposite ends of said opening for holding the article in spaced relation to the per'phery of said eye While the ribbon is being advanced and then pinching the ribbon near one end thereof against said periphery, means for retracting the ribbon while the end is pinched as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the pinched end of the ribbon, and means for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

13. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises a curved ribbon guide substantially surrounding an opening for the article to be banded, said guide having a radial passageway, means including a feed roller for advancing said ribbon endwise along said guide untl it surrounds said opening and overlaps at said passageway, means for holding the ribbon near one end thereof, means including another feed roller for retracting the ribbon while the end is held as aforesaid to draw the ribbon snugly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, means for driv ng both feed rollers continuously during each cycle of operations, means for pressing the ribbon against either roller and means acting through said radial passageway for severing the ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band.

14. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of r bbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises means for holding the article, means for drawing the ribbon snugly around the article and over one end of the ribbon, means for holding the portion of the ribbon over the end against such end, means for severing the ribbon thereby forming a band w th overlapped ends, and means for sealing the overlapping ends both severing and sealing means acting while held as aforesaid.

15. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises means for hold ngthe article, means for drawing the ribbonsnugly around the article and over one end of the ribbon, a spring-pressed device for holding the portion of the ribbon over the end against such end, a knife for severing the ribbon thereby forming a band with overlapped ends, and a heatcd presser for sealing the overlapping ends both knfe and presser acting while held as aforesaid.

16. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises means for holding the article, means for drawing the ribbon snugly around the article and over one end of the ribbon, a spr ng-pressed device for holding the portion of the ribbon over the end against such end, a knife for severing the ribbon thereby forming'a band with overlapped ends, a heated presser for sealing the overlapping ends while held as aforesaid, and a head' movable toward and from said overlapping ends, said devce and knife and presser being mounted on the head to engage the ribbon in the order named when the head moves toward the ribbon.

17. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band, which comprises means for forming a loop of the ribbon around the article, means for holding the art cle -stationary during the formation of the loop and for thereafter pressing the article against the ribbon near one end thereof to hold it at rest, means for drawing the ribbon tightly around the article and over the held end of the ribbon, and means for sever ng the ribbon and sealing the overlapped portion thereof.

18. A banding machine for wrapping an elon-- gate article with a band of ribbon and sealing form a loop enclos ng the articleand out of con'-" tact therewith, means for causing said clamping means to shift the article in the opening laterally into contact with the ribbon near said end thereof to hold it stationary against the guide wall, means for retracting said rbbon to draw it tightly around said article, and over the held end of the ribbon and means for sealing the overlapping portions of the ribbon.

20. A banding machine for wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon compris ng an annular ribbon guide, means for clamping the ends of the article and supporting the article with the area to be banded extending transversely through the opening in said guide and out oi contact therewith, means for advancing one end of the rbbon endwise'along the guide to form a loop enclosing the article and'out of contact therewith, means for causing said clamping means to shift the article in the opening laterally into contact with the ribbon near said end thereof to hold it stationary against the guide wall, means for retract ng said ribbon to draw it tightly around said article, and over the held end of the ribbon, means for severing said ribbon for scal-- ing the overlapping portions of the ribbon,

21. In a banding machine for wrapping articles with a band of ribbon, a guide for the rbbon, means for advancing one end of the ribbon lengthwise of the guide, means for looping the ribbon around the article, means for holding that end of the ribbon against the article and means for retracting the ribbon lengthwise of the guide to draw the ribbon tightly around the article.

22. In a banding machine for wrapping articles with a band of ribbon, a guide for the ribbon, means for advancing one end of the ribbon lengthwise of the guide, means for looping the ribbon around the article, means for holding that end of the ribbon against the article and means for retracting the ribbon lengthwise of the guide,

to draw the ribbon tightly around the article, said ribbon advancing and retracting means each comprising a driven roll and a freely rotatable pressure roll movable toward and from the driven roll.

23. In a banding machine for wrapping articles with a band of ribbon, a guide for the ribbon,

,means for advancing one end of the ribbon' lengthwise of the guide, means for looping the ribbon around the article, means for holding that end of the ribbon against the article and means for retracting the ribbon lengthwise of the guide to draw the ribbon tightly around the article, said ribbon advancing and retracting means each comprising a driven roll and a freely rotatable pressure roll movable toward and from the driven roll, a pivotally mounted support for both said pressure rolls and means for swinging a-said support on its pivot to bring either or neither of said pressure rolls in contact with its driven roll.

24. That method of wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band which comprises the steps of supporting the article forming the ribbon in a loop around the article and out of contact therewith, pressing one end of the ribbon against the article, tightening the ribbon around the article and overlapped end thereof and sealing the overlapping portions.

25. That method of wrapping an elongate article with a band of ribbon and sealing the overlapping ends of the band which comprises the steps of supporting the article forming the ribbon in a loop around the article and out of contact therewith, pressing one end of the band against the article, tightening the ribbon around the article and overlapped end thereof and sealing the overlapping portions, said tightening and sealing taking place while the article is held stationary.

26. A machine for handing an article with a label using a thermoplastic adhesive, having means to deliver a strip of labels including means to tension the end label of the strip around the article with the ends of the label overlapped, means to sever the end label from the strip, and heating means to hold the severed label around the article and affix it to the article by joining the overlapped ends upon rendering said adhesive tacky.

27. A machine for banding an article with a label having means to deliver a strip of labels including a guide means for the strip, means engaging the strip for feeding and retracting the strip through the guide means to tension the end label of the strip around the article with the ends of the label overlapped, and means to sever the end label from the strip and affix it to the article by joining the overlapped ends.

28. A labeling machine having means for feeding a continuous strip of labels from which a single label is to be separated for application to an article, a curling means for receiving the label to be separated from said strip for forming it into a loop with the extreme end of said strip overlapping the strip, said curling means including a surface for guiding the strip into loop form and having walls to confine the strip to said surface, said walls being relieved adjacent said extreme end to form a ledge against which the strip may be pressed, and means for severing and affixing the looped label around an article while the article engages the label against the ledge.

29. A labeling machine having means for feeding a continuous strip of labels from which a single label is to be separated for application to an article, a. curling means for receiving the label to be separated from said strip for forming 4 it into a loop with the extreme end of said strip overlapping the strip, said curling means being provided with a throat through which the label is fed, said curling means including a surface for guiding the strip into loop form and having walls to confine the strip to said surface, said walls being relieved adjacent said extreme end to form a ledge on one side of said throat against which the strip may be pressed, and means acting through said throat forsevering and affixing the looped label around an article while the article engages the label against the ledge.

30. A labeling machine having means for feeding and retracting a continuous strip of labels from which a single label is to be separated for application to an article, a curling means for receiving the label to be separated from said strip of labels for forming it into a loop, said means for feeding being actuated to drivesaid strip of labels into the curling means, the means for feeding being controlled to drive said strip of labels into the curling means until the extreme end of said strip is turned into overlapping relation with the strip, said means for retracting the strip of labels being actuated to tension the looped label around an article inserted in the loop with the article engaging the end of the strip adjacent said overlapped end to fixedly hold said end of the label, separating means operable after the retracting means has been actuated to separate the label tensioned around the article from the strip, and afiixing means to cause the tensioned label to be permanently affixed to the article;

connection between said delivering and severing.

means which causes the severing means to out said strip and then move out or the way before the strip is again advanced, and means to aflix the severed label to the article.

CARL A. FLOOD. 

